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Defence Current Affairs 04 April 2026

In Defence Current Affairs for 04 April 2026, we will see the latest national and international current affairs news. These important current affairs will be...

In Defence Current Affairs for 04 April 2026, we will see the latest national and international current affairs news. These important current affairs will be beneficial for your upcoming NDA, CDS, CDS OTA, AFCAT, TA, Agniveer Army, Agniveer Navy, Agniveer Air Force, Women Military Police, INET, MNS, ACC exams, SCO, PCSL, CAPF, and SSB interviews, and direct entries for Army, Navy, and Air Force like SSC Tech, TGC, JAG, NCC, TES, 10+2 Cadet. Download a PDF file about current events at the end of this article. Let us now see the Current Affairs.

Defence Current Affairs 04 April 2026

Indian Navy Commissions INS Aridhaman

  • The Indian Navy on Friday commissioned its indigenous nuclear-powered submarine, INS Aridhaman, a crucial development in building national defence capabilities which was earlier teased by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
  • The development was hinted at by Singh in a post on X, where he described the submarine as more than just a name, calling it a symbol of power. “Not just a word, ‘Aridhaman’ is power!,” said the post.
  • INS Aridhaman is an advanced version of the Arihant-class submarines, following earlier inductions such as INS Arighaat in August 2024 and INS Arihant in 2016. Its commissioning marks another step forward in strengthening India’s nuclear triad and maritime deterrence.
  • INS Aridhaman is a 7,000-tonne vessel, making it larger and more advanced than its predecessors INS Arihant and INS Arighaat. It was built under the Advanced Technology Vessel programme at Visakhapatnam and represents a key milestone in India’s indigenous defence capabilities.
  • The submarine features advanced indigenous sonar systems and acoustic suppression technologies, improving its underwater detection and survivability. INS Aridhaman is fitted with eight vertical launch system tubes, allowing it to carry up to 24 K-15 Sagarika missiles with a range of 750 km or eight K-4 missiles with a range of 3,500 km.
  • With the induction of INS Aridhaman, India will operate three nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines under the Strategic Forces Command. It is expected to be based at Project Varsha near Visakhapatnam, a high-security naval facility designed to house India’s nuclear fleet.
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US Defence Budget Seeks 85 Lockheed F-35s

  • The Pentagon’s proposed fiscal 2027 budget blueprint is seeking 85 Lockheed Martin Corp. fighter jets — up from 47 requested last year — in a significant boost for the largest US weapons program.
  • The Air Force is the program’s largest customer and the breakdown includes 38 of the F-35A version of the jet for that branch, in addition to 10 F-35B short-takeoff and vertical-landing Marine Corps jets and 37 F-35C aircraft carrier models, according to the Office of Management and Budget.
  • The F-35 numbers are part of a budget request from President Donald Trump that is asking lawmakers to approve $1.5 trillion for defense, a massive increase that’s paired with sharp cuts to domestic programs. Details on the F-35s will be among the most scrutinized elements of military hardware within the administration’s blueprint.
  • Friday’s budget plan comes with the US-Israeli war on Iran well into its second month and polls showing significant numbers of Americans uncertain about the president’s handling of the conflict. F-35C jets from the USS Abraham Lincoln are currently flying missions in operations over Iran.
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HAL Imposes Penalties on GE for F404 Delays

  • Penalties have been imposed on GE Aerospace for delays in supply of F404 engines for the Light Combat Aircraft programme, even as negotiations continue with the US manufacturer for transfer of technology of a more advanced power plant.
  • HAL officials said liquidated damages have been imposed on the US company as it failed to deliver engines for LCA Mk1A on time. They added the penalties are being imposed on the delivery of every delayed engine.
  • The US firm has so far delivered only six of the 99 engines ordered by HAL in 2021 for $716 million — the first engine was supplied in March 2025. GE Aerospace had attributed the delays to supply chain bottlenecks and said production was being ramped up to fulfil the Indian order.
  • The engines are meant for 83 LCA Mk-1As ordered by the defence ministry for ₹48,000 crore in 2021. HAL was to deliver the first aircraft in March 2024, but deliveries are yet to begin, with the programme hit by engine supply constraints and delays in key certifications.
  • The IAF remains concerned about the pace of the programme, given the risks delays in induction of new fighters could pose to its combat effectiveness.
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Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth Axes Army Chief

  • Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed General Randy George, the US Army Chief of Staff, in a move that has stunned Pentagon observers. Three US defence officials confirmed that the firing occurred, with George—a four-star general—forced into immediate retirement despite over a year remaining in his four-year term.
  • The Pentagon issued a brief statement acknowledging his decades of service and wishing him well but offered no explanation for the abrupt departure.This action marks one of the rarest instances of a service chief being removed during active wartime operations. The US military is currently intensifying its presence in the Middle East, conducting strikes against Iran primarily through naval and air assets, while deploying Army personnel for critical air defence roles.
  • Thousands of soldiers from the elite 82nd Airborne Division have begun arriving in the region, raising speculation about potential ground operations. Firing the leader of the Army—the largest branch with approximately 450,000 active-duty troops—occurs against this high-stakes backdrop.
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2 US Aircraft Shot Down As War In Iran Escalates

  • Iran shot down two U.S. military planes in separate attacks Friday, with one service member rescued and at least one missing, in a dramatic escalation since the war began nearly five weeks ago.
  • It was the first time U.S. aircraft have been downed in the conflict and came just two days after President Donald Trump said in a national address that the U.S. has “beaten and completely decimated Iran” and was “going to finish the job, and we’re going to finish it very fast.”One fighter jet was shot down in Iran, officials said. A U.S. crew member from that plane was rescued, but a second was missing, and a U.S. military search-and-rescue operation was underway.Neither the White House nor Pentagon released public information about the downed planes.
  • In a brief telephone interview with NBC News, Trump declined to discuss the search-and-rescue efforts but said what happened would not affect negotiations with Iran.”No, not at all. No, it’s war,” he said.Separately, Iranian state media said a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf after being struck by Iranian defense forces.
  • Iran’s attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure and its tight grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas transits in peacetime, have roiled stock markets, sent oil prices skyrocketing, and threatened to raise the cost of many basic goods, including food.
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Review Questions

  1. INS Aridhaman belongs to which class of submarines?
    A. Kalvari-class
    B. Scorpene-class
    C. Arihant-class
    D. Chakra-class
    ANSWER: C
  2. What is the approximate displacement (weight) of INS Aridhaman?
    A. 5,000 tonnes
    B. 6,000 tonnes
    C. 7,000 tonnes
    D. 8,500 tonnes
    ANSWER: C
  3. How many F-35 fighter jets are proposed in the US Defence Budget for FY
    2027?
    A. 47
    B. 65
    C. 75
    D. 85
    ANSWER: D
  4. HAL imposed penalties on GE Aerospace due to delays in supplying which
    engine?
    A. F414 engine
    B. F404 engine
    C. HAL-31 engine
    D. RD-33 engine
    ANSWER: B
  5. Which US Army Chief of Staff was dismissed by Defence Secretary Pete
    Hegseth?
    A. Mark Milley
    B. James McConville
    C. Randy George
    D. Charles Brown
    ANSWER: C
  6. The Capital Of Turkmenistan Is
    A. Ashgabat
    B. Doha
    C. Tehran
    D. Moscow
    ANSWER: A
  7. Hq Of NITI Aayog Is In
    A. Mumbai
    B. Chennai
    C. Noida
    D. New Delhi
    ANSWER: D
  8. Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udan Akademi Is In
    A. Amethi
    B. Chennai
    C. Jammu
    D. Jalandhar
    ANSWER: A
  9. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Hq Is At
    A. Vienna, Austria
    B. Washington, DC, USA
    C. Geneva, Switzerland
    D. Rome, Italy
    ANSWER: C
  10. War Cry Of Mechanised Infantry Regiment Is
    A. Durga Mata K Jai
    B. Raja Ram Chandra K Jai
    C. Bolo Bharat Mata Ki Jai
    D. Bajrang Bali K Jai
    ANSWER: C
  11. Motto Of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment Is
    A. Service Before Self
    B. Warrior
    C. Always Brave
    D. Valour & Faith
    ANSWER: D
  12. Dornier 228 Is A
    A. Submarine
    B. Missile
    C. Utility Aircraft
    D. None of the above
    ANSWER: C
  13. Which Nation Has to Give the Largest Funding To UN Peacekeeping Force?
    A. Russia
    B. USA
    C. China
    D. Canada
    ANSWER: B
  14. NASSCOM Stands For
    A. National Association of Software and Servant Companies
    B. National Association of Sewak and Service Companies
    C. National Associate of Software and Service Companies
    D. National Association of Software and Service Companies
    ANSWER: D
  15. Corps of Military Police (CMP) Centre and School Is At
    A. Imphal
    B. Pachmarhi
    C. Chennai
    D. Bangalore
    ANSWER: D
  16. Army School of Physical Training Is At
    A. Pune
    B. Pachmarhi
    C. Chennai
    D. Bangalore
    ANSWER: A
  17. Army Airborne Training School Is At
    A. Pune
    B. Agra
    C. Chennai
    D. Noida
    ANSWER: B
  18. Where Is The Hq Of The Eastern Command of The Indian Army?
    A. Kochi
    B. Vishakhapatnam
    C. Kolkata
    D. Mumbai
    ANSWER: C
  19. Joint Exercises B/w India And Indonesia Is Called:
    A. Garuda Shakti
    B. SLINEX
    C. Indra
    D. Yudha Abhyas
    ANSWER: A
  20. Hq of PARA SF Is At
    A. Chennai
    B. Bengaluru
    C. Nagpur
    D. Mumbai
    ANSWER: B
DCA 04 April 2026Download

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Divyanshu Pandey

Senior Lecturer General Studies, SSBCrackExams, Cleared CDS 4 times, NDA 2 times, Ex- N.C.C. cadet, SSB Expert. Passionate Teacher, Trained defence aspirants for their SSB Interview, BSc in PCM expertise in Geography, Indian Polity, Current Affairs and Defence affairs. Writing Article and Travelling solo.
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